Gamer on your gift list may like these suggestions

Santa's coming and chances are good that little (or big) Timmy and Jen hope their stocking will pack some gaming punch.

With dozens of titles released in the last few months — not to mention the hundreds you haven't gotten to yet — it's not easy to narrow the field to a few choices. Even so, we've put on our pointy shoes and elves' caps to tackle the job, trying some and culling suggestions from all over the place to put together a list of video game suggestions to make shopping just a little easier.

A quick look at the store shelves shows it doesn't matter what your gamer is into, from racing games to dark adventures. There's something for everyone.

It's a big season for games based on children's movies and TV shows, especially for Nintendo Game Boy Advance. "Elf," "Spider-Man," "Winnie the Pooh," "Dora the Explorer," "Clifford," "Barbie," "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Lizzie McGuire" and "Raven" are just a few that have made the move to video gaming pleasure. And for the older movie lover, there's always "The Lord of the Rings."

Pick a sport and there's a video game or five that combines real sports hero characters with fantasy.

And for a little exercise with your game, don't forget that EyeToy has a whole line of video games where you (your head, your hands, etc.) are the controllers.

The only limitation is personal taste and how deep your pockets are. Most of the games are between $30 and $50 each, though there are some less spendy, genuine bargains out there.

And be prepared, because all of the platforms have big titles coming out right after the new year.

Here are some holiday offerings that we like:

Rated E for Everyone

"Polar Express" (GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PC), $29.99, $29.99, $19.99, respectively

Just one of a number of video games based on popular movies and books, "Polar Express" takes players on a crazy train ride to meet Santa at the North Pole. Solve puzzles, zip through ice tubes and search for lost gifts.

"The Incredibles" (GameCube, Game Boy Advance, PS2), $39.99, $29.99, $39.99, respectively

Combines graphics, humor and superhero adventures, playing as the film's characters in locales as diverse as jungles and gigantic cities. There are 18 levels, including bonuses and hidden features.

"Gran Turismo 4" (PS2), $49.99